SENTENCING OF CHANTAL MCCORKLE

Early day motion 733, tabled 21 February 2005 by Tom Clarke (Labour). Signed by 127 members.

That this House notes that Chantal McCorkle, a British citizen, was sentenced to 24 years and four months imprisonment in the United States for offences which might carry only a suspended sentence in the UK; further notes that the judge who sentenced her in 1999 expressed disquiet at the sentence that she felt obliged to give; further notes that recent cases of Blakely and Booker in the United States Supreme Court cast doubt on the sentencing guidelines then used and give grounds for an appeal; and urges the Government to support Chantal's lawyers and press the United States legal system to hear Chantal's appeal against sentence as expeditiously as possible and to ensure that no barriers are placed to Chantal's transfer to the UK to serve whatever remaining sentence she has after her appeal.

Signatures by party: Labour 72, Liberal Democrat 32, Conservative 13, Labour/Co-operative 5, DUP 2, Plaid Cymru 2, UUP 1.